s an animal care professional, there’s a responsibility to ensure that your practice delivers the highest quality care in an environment that is functional, comfortable, clean and aesthetically welcoming. Creating this environment from scratch or within an existing space isn’t always easy, but becoming familiar with the design process can help prepare you to create a state-of-the-art space.

Programming & Needs Assessment

When approaching the design of a new space or renovating an existing one, the first step is to thoroughly ask yourself questions to uncover the needs of the practice and a prospective dental suite. For example, what size is your current animal hospital or practice? What specific dental services do you want to offer? How many dental procedures do you intend to perform daily? If you have an existing veterinary practice, where can you incorporate the dental suite? What species will you primarily treat and how will this impact the design? What specialized equipment and technology will you need for dental procedures? How many exam tables will you need?

These thoughts may also lead to more specific questions like, how many x-ray arms will the suite need? What type of training will the staff need to use the equipment confidently and safely?

Many of these answers may be dictated by the available space or funds for this project. Nonetheless, walking through a basic programming and needs assessment is a vital first step.

Safety Measures

The safety and comfort of the animals in your care and of your staff are equally important. Your chosen designer and architect should greatly value your input; intimately listening to your needs, aspirations and pressures that come with developing a veterinary dental space. However, when collaborating to accommodate your vision, there are specific safety design considerations that should always be accounted for.

When developing the layout of the space, there are a few items to keep in mind. The location of the dental area, if open to other areas of the hospital, should avoid being adjacent to surgery suites. By doing this, it limits the exposure to aerosols. If your dental suite is within its own room, this is less of a concern. Within the dental suite, the dental cart should have space to sit out of the way. Perhaps equipment that isn’t used as often, like the x-ray machine, can be placed where it’s able to be utilized by two individuals at different times between two different services if you have multiple tables. Or, when floor or counter space is limited, wall-mounting a piece of equipment can free up countertop real estate for other frequently used tools.

Consider the auxiliary aspects of lights, power, plumbing and medical gas. The locations of these are often dictated by the larger pieces of equipment. Medical gas needs to be in a location where it is easily accessible, yet not in the way of your team while working. Power needs to be where it best serves the equipment. Overhead lighting and medical exam lights should be oriented to avoid creating any shadows or dark spots while a patient is on the table. It can’t be overstated enough that every inch of space counts!

Flexibility for Growth

One last piece of the puzzle before adding a dental suite or any additional service space is to plan ahead with the future in mind. If your practice is starting small—planning for one exam table or the capacity of your current existing clientele—don’t skip over the notion that your dental services will likely grow over time, just as your practice does. The flexibility to adapt as demands do and as technology advances is an opportunity to capitalize on, but only if you have the space to do so.

A dental suite may be a small section of your veterinary practice, but designing for one requires keen attention to detail and an abundance of thought. Renovating or expanding your space to accommodate a dental suite won’t just affect that wing or section of the building, but the animal hospital as a whole. You’re constructing an operational veterinary hospital to deliver the highest quality care possible and a space to foster a positive professional environment for your team. By understanding the process that comes with creating an innovative dental suite, you’ll set your hospital up for successful years to come.